Cape Wind has picked the joint venture team of Hochtief subsidiary Flatiron Construction, Cal Dive International and Cashman Equipment as its construction contractor to build America's first offshore wind farm.

"We are confident this is the right team with the best skills and capabilities to successfully build Cape Wind and create hundreds of jobs in the region,” said Cape Wind president Jim Gordon. The wind farm will be in Nantucket Sound. Cape Wind is the USA’s first offshore wind farm to secure federal and state approval and to be issued a lease to operate by the federal government.

"We are excited to build Cape Wind, this project is moving forward and there is no better way for us to enter the US offshore wind market than to help build the first commercial project," said Flatiron Construction project manager Rik van den Berg. "Our joint venture team will work closely with Cape Wind to ensure that we incorporate the best practices developed by the offshore wind industry over its twenty year history. Cape Wind isn't just about building America's first offshore wind farm, it's about building the skill set among American companies to catalyse a domestic offshore wind industry supply chain".

Cape Wind has encouraged the joint venture to seek out subcontracting opportunities with local firms that may be able to offer competitive equipment or services. Gerard Dhooge, president of the Boston & New England Maritime Trades Council, AFL-CIO, said: "Today's announcement is a major milestone for Cape Wind and brings closer the day that we can put a lot of our local members to work constructing America's first offshore wind energy facility while building a better energy future for our country."